Feline vaccination practices and protocols used by veterinarians in the United Kingdom

Vaccination is an important aspect of disease control in the feline population, as it prevents disease or reduces its severity in individual cats. However the types of antigens that should be administered to cats, the frequency of administration of certain antigens and the anatomical location at which vaccines should be administered are controversial. Various groups have developed guidelines to help veterinarians decide vaccine protocols for cats in their care. The aim of this study was to survey veterinarians in the United Kingdom about the vaccination protocols used in 2007-2008. A questionnaire about aspects of feline vaccination was distributed to a 431 veterinary practices taking part in a case-control study of feline injection site sarcomas. A response rate of 72% was achieved. The majority of veterinarians who responded administered the commonly used antigens annually (84-96% of practices). Most of the veterinarians administered most vaccines in the interscapular region (90-96% of practices depending on the antigen). The vaccination practices of the veterinarians were not consistent with the published vaccination guidelines at that time.